Tales of the Horsemen: Prologue
by ghost1313
Summary: What do the most powerful being do? They can destroy worlds, they can kill gods, but what do they do? Can they feel or are they just as frozen as their age?


Prologue

/ Sweet Dreams (Are Made of These) - Eurythmics /

A light breeze blew across the sands of the dunes in the Deep  
Wasteland Desert. The wind slowly picked up speed as the air started to  
fill with electricity and hummed with power of many different  
frequencies as though a deity was dialing it's stereo to a cosmic  
frequency. Slowly it increased in volume and power as if the freq band  
was found and the volume adjusted. Bluish-white lighting arched and   
sparked from a central point just a couple of feet off the tops of the  
dunes. As the lightning screamed its insanity, the wind picked up speed  
to match the screaming of the lightning by going faster and faster, to  
an almost gale-like pounding, throwing up whips of sand into the air.  
Suddenly the lighting picked up in power to a solar brilliance as a  
blue hole opened in the very fabric of the air with a tortured shriek of  
reality being torn. The sand spiraling around the lightning eye at  
speeds fast enough to blast a rough marble rock into a glassy smoothness  
and then to dust...  
Howling with unnatural rage, the wind ripped and snapped at the edges  
of the hoods, cloaks, and uncovered clothes of four shadowed figures as  
they trekked unconcerned through the hail of sand of one of the  
sandstorms frequent to the Wastelands. The first figure, at the lead of  
the group, stood higher than the three following behind him. His steps  
were strong, as though he had traveled this path many a time and his  
power great. His strong grace in the blowing wind told he had been in  
many a battle long and hard. His eyes of emerald green centered with  
gold glared from his hood as wisps of silvery white hair escaped from  
the hood's darkness.  
The second companion, smaller than them all by about two heads,  
seemed to almost dance in the blowing wind. Her steps were as though  
gravity had little or no hold, while her movements showed she found life  
to be of great merriment. Bright pink eyes glanced about with child-like  
curiosity through a few stray wisps of watery blue hair from the dark  
recesses of her sand caked cloaks. Her eyes flicked every so often to  
the leader of the group, with a hint of softness and tenderness for the  
man before her.  
His third companion moved smoothly in the raging storm. His rolling  
gate bespoke of the speed and deadly grace of his abilities. Two handles  
peeked from the back and left sides from under his cloaks. Their handles  
were wrapped in darkest black and capped with pommel and guard of  
whitest silver. Eyes of hazel ringed with black and centered with amber  
stared out from under his hood as strings of his midnight black hair  
whipped about his face.  
The fourth companion moved with an almost jubilant step, as though he  
was amused by foreshadows only he could see. In his hands, as the wind  
fluttered and snapped at his sleeves, he carried an aged wooden staff,  
ends capped in unknown metal. His grip was loose but firm on the handle  
as though he knew the needs of the staff in the ways of combat. The wind  
gave a final tug and snap at his hood, felling it from his face. His   
smile told of things to come only he knew and his eyes glittered of  
things best left untold. His hellish red hair stood on its ends, keeping  
its shape even with the wind ripping at the tips. Cursing at the wind,  
he snatches at his hood replacing it on his head with a final snigger.  
As the four rose over the next hill, the wind blew less violently and  
tugged less on their clothing when they sighted the small town.  
"This where they said we needed to be?" asked the one of swords to  
the tallest, he who's aura bespoke of a True Sorcerer, as he knelt  
leaning on his sword's sheath, stuck in the sand of the dune hill, and  
pulling down his sand encrusted goggles.  
"Yeah, Ghost. Celinda said this is where we need to be."  
"Dammit! Why couldn't she have given us a better place to meet at,  
then this crappy little town?" asked the man of rods.  
"We already went over this Phage. Where we are told to meet, we  
meet." remarked the one called Ghost testily. "So Drake, quiet in the  
back or 'High Noon' walk in?"  
"Lets go in quiet in the back to the bar like we were told. No need  
to kill anyone more than we have to yet," replied the silver haired man,  
"Nor stir up unneeded attention." Drake turned on his heel on the last   
comment, giving a quick glare in Phage's direction, and started to  
navigate to the edge of town.  
#Shall we go, little one.# Drake thought to Sasami through their  
link.  
The blue-haired girl nodded and followed, quietly giggling over some  
inner joke.  
"That was an accident!!" whined Phage. "One measly town up in flames,  
big deal."  
"Hell of a place. Makes me think of Mos Eisley," remarked Ghost as  
got up and turned from the scene as he followed Drake down to the town   
replacing his goggles.  
"Only Mos Eisley looked better." quipped Phage from the back as he  
followed the rest.

Ghost Dance Productions Presents:  
An Unlimited Imagination Film:  
"Tales of the Horsemen: The Edge"  
On-Line adaptation by Ghostwalker  
Original Script by Eris,  
Chaotic Imagination,  
and The Cosmic Deities  
(Direct complaints to same.)  
All Music, Special Effects, and  
Movie Stuff by Your Imagination Inc.  
Dedicated to Chaos, May it reign forever.

The chimes to 'The Next Inn' jangled in a furious, mangled noise as a  
red topped something came flying through the swinging doors, followed   
by a cloaked figure scowling in the direction of the red missile and  
heading in the direction of its landing space. The graying bartender  
looked up from his cleaning of the bar with rheumy eyes as two other  
figures entered less flamboyantly with a shaking of its head beneath its  
cloak's hood and the smaller with an amused shrug of its shoulders, as  
they headed to a booth in a shadowed corner.  
"I told You, DO NOT antagonize the locals!!" exclaimed the sword man  
pulling his red headed missile up by the collar.  
"I was only going to trip him!! It was going to be a joke!!"  
exclaimed the redhead as he was dropped again on his butt.  
"And he's magic sensitive. You forgot to check again!! Sheesh!!"  
Throwing his hands in the air and walking over to the booth a silver  
haired gentleman had taken. "When will he learn?"  
#I bet on never(giggle)# sent Sasami, with mischief in her eyes and a  
quiet smile, looking at Drake. Moving over in the semi-circular booth,  
allowing Ghost to sit, she works herself on to Drake's lap. #I'm going  
to take a small (yawn)#, opening her mouth wide for a huge yawn,  
#catnap!# blinking her eyes as she curled up against him.  
#Go ahead little one. I'll wake you if anything important happens.#  
Drake replied over their link, "When Hell has frozen over. Which may not  
be that long in the waiting, depending on what Celinda's 'employer'  
wants us to do." added Drake to Ghost.  
"Why the Hell is he with us anyway?" groaned Ghost ripping off his  
goggles and letting them hang around his neck.  
"The Bosses said he's to come with us. Why? Got me. Hell I don't know  
why they have TWO Trouble Shooters on this case any way much less him.  
What ever the case it's BIG to need us." shrugged Drake.  
"I wanna go back! I wanna go back to the Slayers' world!" whimpered  
Phage.  
"You still drooling over Linna?" asked Ghost as Drake covered his   
face.  
"No! She was drooling over ME!" Phage proudly declared.  
"Oh? Really? I still could have sworn it was you. Guess my memory is  
going in my old age."  
"You're just jealous I got to spend the night in her room."  
"Why you little..."  
"ENOUGH!" Drake yelled slamming his palm on the table, cracking the  
plasteel. "That's enough children. We can discuss this later. Lets just  
get something to eat and drink, and RELAX, while we wait for our  
'employer'. Ne?"  
"Yeah." "We were just having Fun!!"  
"Well at least I didn't hit on a guy."  
"How was I supposed to know it was RANMA!!"  
"You're a magic user. No excuses."  
"So I have a thing for red heads!! Besides I can't think of magic and  
girls at the same time!"  
A low level growl came from Drake's direction, one fitting of his   
namesake. "Enough! Or Else!"  
"Or else what!?" as the red head felt the now quite familiar presence  
of enchanted cold steel on his neck. "Never Mind."  
"do. you. mind." came a hoarse whisper from Ghost's throttled neck.   
"Besides I'm NOT the smart ass."  
"Your not the smart anyth..." stopping as the steel bit deeper into  
his neck. "Okay!"

Sometime Later...

/ Dirty Deeds Done Dirt Cheap- AC/DC /

As the three milked their separate drinks in anticipatory quiet,  
people came and left the bar. The old man behind the bar served each  
their drinks. The usual for the regulars and mixed what the Wanderers  
asked for. The patrons were an ecliptic mixing of peoples from various  
worlds and dimensions. Not many people willingly visited the Wastelands  
of Shan 'Ara Og. None but the tough, those desperate for work, or those   
seeking workers of any kind and of one kind specifically. Death Dealers.  
All who came into the 'The Next Inn' were of that kind. The crude and  
vile. Even so all but the idiots shied from the booth of the three  
companions, as when they looked in that direction, their stares were  
greeted by sets of predatory gazes. Each saying to he that looked into  
them "Cross me not or face oblivion."  
Soon the bar door opened to admit a small shadowed figure, flanked by  
two larger shadows. Its head appeared to haughtily scan the small bar  
for someone, or something, specific.  
"Think this is our 'employer' Celinda was talking about?" queried  
Ghost from around his mug.  
"Think so. Good looking too isn't she? Too bad about the Fuglies  
hanging at her sides." remarked Drake.  
"How the hell you know that it's a SHE?" quipped Phage lowering his  
wine glass, "Oh. Never mind. One of the Fuglies was in the way. Want me  
to kill one of them? hehehehe." Smack! "bitch."  
After a through scan of the establishment, which was going far for  
the place, the 'Employer' made a line for the companion's booth. Her   
Flankers shoving anyone not moving fast enough out of her path. Soon she  
stopped before the companion's booth. Snapping her fingers, the Flanker  
to her left 'borrows' a chair from another being that 'graciously  
offered' the chair for her. Sitting down and crossing her shaped legs,  
the companions get a better look at her and her Flankers. The  
'Employer', a moderate height human woman with waist length brunette  
hair, her eyes hidden behind dark shades currently in inter-dimensional  
fashion, lips glossed in a deep burgundy red. Her well built figure  
attired in expensive leathers and adventuring equipment, all of it  
fashionable dirty and placed. Her seven-foot tall thugs were of  
undeterminable species and sex, but their heavily built frames in their  
dark suits looked quite able to smash a way through an adamantine wall  
as though through wet paper. Their weapons barely disguised in their   
well-tailored suits also spoke volumes on their strength. They, of  
course, were quite fashionable too.  
"I wonder how well those Fuglies will work as zombies?" muttered  
Phage under his breath. Smack! "bitch."  
"What can we do for you, Miss...?" started Drake.  
"Johnson. You can call me Miss Johnson." replied the 'Employer'.  
"Kinda Shadowrun-isk isn't she?" muttered Ghost under his breath, "Very original."  
"hehehe"  
"Yes. What can we do for you 'Miss Johnson?'"  
"I have need of some discreet individuals to fix a problem for  
me. I can pay quite handsomely for the deed." reaching into her right  
breast pocket 'Miss Johnson' pulls out a golden rod and tosses it onto  
the table. "On that credstick is 900,000 Universal Credits for each of  
you as a retainer payment for just hearing me out. You can still choose  
to back out at any time before accepting the job and still keep that  
credstick." tapping it gently with her well manicured fingernail.  
"Ghost?" Drake asked looking at the credstick.  
Ghost picked up the credstick and examined it. The golden rod had the  
three red lines visible in all the visual spectrums at the top of the  
rod telling all that this was a one time use stick and useable by anyone  
who owned the stick. Taking less than a half second's concentration  
Ghost mentally examined the contents of the stick. Whistling under his  
breath Ghost handed the stick to Drake.  
" All 2,700,000UC there like she says, plus an extra 300,000UC for  
'Various Expenses' the stick says. " said Ghost in Dimensional Trade  
Tongue 6. A very rarely used or learned language, one made up of  
almost nothing but clicks and whistles. The Trade Tongue is rarely used   
outside of the Insectoid species without translators. " Must be big  
around town to throw that kind of money around just for a 'listing' fee.  
I say we at least listen, then decide. "  
"" piped up Phage, money signs in his eyes.  
" Hmmm. You sure? " Drake glances up at Ghost.  
" Hai. "  
"Three million UC is a lot Miss Johnson to be just throwing around.  
We're willing to listen." shrugs Drake as he places the credstick into   
the folds of his cloak and looks in the direction of Miss Johnson.  
"We'll see if your deal is sweet enough to warrant further attention."  
" Thank You, Mister 'Ghost' for the vote of confidence. " All three  
of the companion's eyes narrow at their 'guest'. "Now that you  
gentlemen are willing to listen."  
Snapping her fingers again, the Fugly on her right puts down the  
torus ring shape of a portable holo-projector on the table, while the  
Fugly on the left inserts the hexagonal shape of a data-crystal into the  
projector's input slot. Firing up with an audible crackle-hum, the holo-  
projector lit up the gloom around the table by a couple of candlesticks  
worth of light as data present on the data-crystal scrolls eerily green  
in the air above the ring. Streams of light green text, and flashes of   
black and white/color pictures fill the air while the three companions  
quickly digest the information being presented to them. "I was told  
that you three would be able to acclimate the information that we have  
at this speed. I hope I was not misinformed. I would be quite displeased  
and disappointed in my sources." said Miss Johnson making it clear in  
the tone of her voice that to displease her is paramount to a messily  
long and painful death. That to disappoint her would be even less   
pleasant and far worse than mere death.  
"Yes Miss Johnson we were able to get all the information we needed  
out of your extensive collection of data. The objective that you  
want us to do is very simple. It could be been done by a Level 6 Wizard.   
Maybe even a level 8 might have pull it off. A couple of potions, and  
two teleport spells for their public and private water sources. Why do  
you need people like us, and of our caliber for a job such as this?"  
spoke Drake as the stream of data came to a halt with a rotating and  
glowing green 'EOF' floating in the air above the projector.  
"Well yes. That would be easier and cheaper, but that would also  
tell the people exactly who was behind the 'project'. We need someone,  
or ones, less traceable to us." as she changed the crossing of her legs,  
"Besides the snatch portion must be delayed from discovery for as long  
as possible. That plan would have made it too obvious for our needs."  
"Understood. I was simply stating the easiest route. I did not have  
all the information." bowed Drake, as Ghost and Phage tipped their  
heads. "How much will this 'job' pay for? Your extensive data did not  
give us that information."  
"I am willing to pay two credsticks like the one I have just given to  
you for each of you, plus certain 'favors' from my 'Company' will be  
made available. If you so choose to take them up." smiled Miss Johnson  
on that last as she took off her sunglasses revealing steel blue eyes  
ringed in silver and an unidentifiable 'sweet smell' rose into the air.   
Phage's face took on a slightly reddish hue visible even in the gloom of  
the bar and his breathing deepened by a note. "We'll give you the  
Presidential Treatment at least, if not start a new one for you...  
'Gentlemen'." with an arched brow. "I'm sure the Darkworlders working  
for us will like all of you very much."  
" Pretty high for a snatch and grab retrieval, " grumbled Ghost in  
Full High Demon. Another difficult language, but that cannot be  
understood or spoken except by those born to it or taught to by a High  
Demon, " How do we know this job isn't a trap? Too damn good to be  
true! "  
" We don't. But we take it like we're told to. " shot back Drake,   
" Even if none of us like it. "  
" She-ite! " " Fuck Sticks! "  
"You have a deal Miss Johnson. We'll perform the job for the price  
just agreed, but the 'favors' will be on our terms and they need not be  
in the terms you implied. Understood?" Drake said from behind the edge  
of his mug.  
"Yes Mister Drake. Well understood." as Miss Johnson's sunglasses  
slipped out of her fingers and the forms beside her blurred.  
The singing of a blade being drawn, the rumbling echo of a heavy  
caliber gun, and the fading ozone smell of a reflected spell fill the  
air as Ghost stood over the smoking decapitated body of one of the  
Fuglies. Dark ichors dripping off his katana's black blade, as the  
second Fuglie finishes it fall into two separate halves, diagonally. The  
heavy gun light in his right hand, both barrels still smoking. Drake's  
hand straight-arms the 'Johnson's' neck as he holds her feet off the   
ground, with Sasami cradled in his off arm. She lowers her shield-  
warding hand from Phage's direction as her third eye stares into both of  
Drake's and her normal eyes still glaring into Phage's as he holds his  
quickly healing, and smoking, hand to his chest. The background noise of  
the bar slowly rises back up as people return their attention back to  
their own problems and needs, all of which are far from the scene of  
recent death.   
"Oh! You're gonna DIE Bitch!" grumbled Phage as his regeneration  
finished it's healing. "Impressive defenses though. I like a feisty  
woman. Now we just need to give her red hair." as a huge smile lit up  
his face.  
"A Saiyajin. Should have known they would send one of you for us.   
Impressive. On disguising your aura. Not many can do it as well you did.  
You're true name please." Drake intoned with a raised eyebrow never  
letting his hand waver a millimeter as he set her back into her chair.  
#hmmm???# as Sasami slightly shifted her position against Drake.  
#Nothing to worry about.# Drake comforted her as she was still half-  
asleep.  
#mmmm...ok# dreamily as Sasami stirred herself into a slightly more  
comfortable position, before falling back into full sleep.  
"Yes I am, and that was merely a test I was told to perform. The  
offer is still valid from my 'Company' if you still wish to take it up.  
So is the fee. As for my name? I cannot give that. I was told to kill   
myself before releasing that." 'Miss Johnson' said as she resumed her  
relaxed pose in her chair never taking her third eye off Drake's two.  
"Ghost?" Drake asked quickly glancing in the name's direction.  
"I could, but she has strong mental shields, three layers worth. The  
first Magical, and the second Psionic. Both easy to crack, but she has  
the third shield is set up to destroy her mind if anyone breaks the  
first two and she was not the one to put it up. It's pretty damn  
powerful. Possibly by a Class 2, maybe Class 1, sorcerer," quietly spoke  
Ghost as he cleaned his sword and replaced both his weapons before he  
again sat in the booth, "Your choice on how much you think we need to   
know. I might be able to retrieve most of it before her mind goes, but I  
really don't want to be in that mess as it flushes out."  
"Phage?" Drake asked returning his emerald gaze to 'Johnson's' third  
eye's steady steely glare.  
"I could reanimate her no problem. But if she has defenses for her  
mind like Ghost says..." Shrug, "All we would have would be a mindless  
zombie, useful for nothing but satisfying some Necrophiliac. She would  
bring a pretty penny in some markets though. As Ghost says, up to you."  
"Brain taping?"  
"Same as me probing her after I break her shields, before the tape  
can even begin to start." Ghost brought up. "Your decision."  
Drake gazed deep and long into the Saiyajin's triple eyes. Removing  
his hand from her neck he intones "You may leave. Alive. For Today at  
least. Tell your employers we do not appreciate tests such as this. The  
price has gone up due to this. Will your company still accept our  
services for an increased fee?" picking up his mug and taking a sip.  
Blanching, "Thank you Mister 'Drake' for that information, and yes  
they would. Name the extra price when next we meet and it will be met.  
Life... Pleasure... Money... It matters not to my employers when  
concerning your services." 'Miss Johnson' nervously quipped as she rose,  
"When next we meet gentlemen, and I hope to be your first 'favor' Mr.  
'Ghost'. Not many have killed my Wu so easily." With a sultry smile, she   
closes her third eye before replacing her sunglasses. Her Wu flows as it  
reforms itself into a small 5'4" blonde woman wearing tasteful and  
fashionable clothes, smiling and bowing in the direction of Ghost, her  
smile reaching her gray eyes in appreciation of his skill. She(/he/it?)  
quickly catches up with her master, as they both leave the bar.  
"Lucky Ghost," quirked Drake.  
"Yeah," ear to ear grin, "Like I was trying to say earlier, Phage. At  
least I wasn't a cute little puppy dog at the time I was with Linna."  
"bitch."  
"No. That was you."  
A quiet chuckle comes from Drake's area of the booth.

"Let's go over this again," Ghost said as he lowered his now empty  
mug and repositioned the 3D map on the holo-projector. The privacy  
screen silently humming as it blocked all eves dropping in all possible  
forms and being reinforced by those sitting in the booth. "Drake, you  
want me to go into this section of the building." pointing to the   
'lower' relative southeast corner of the building plans, "'Ghosting' at  
my max, causing as much random Chaos as I can. Doing all this to make  
the building electronic systems go 'Gremlin' for about 5 minutes while  
laying waste to a large section of the building, excluding the Target's  
room until the 'Go' signal. While I'm doing this, you have Phage, 2.5  
minutes into my 'Gremlin' routine, come in here." pointing to the   
'flat' North side of the plans. "Doing what he does best, Death and  
Destruction. Starting at the top and working his way down the building  
till he and I meet at the 'C Level' which should be at the 4.75 minute  
mark. Now 4.5 minutes into my program you're going to pop into the  
Target's room to prep her for her pull out. At the 5 minute mark and the  
'Go', me and Phage meet you in the Target's Room and take her out while  
you place a Teke-Bomb to implode the whole building and you go buck wild  
with magic. All sub and upper sections, plus a little extra around the   
compound to make sure, will be gone due to the Teke-Bomb and any little  
things that you do after 'Pop Out'. That should confuse the whole Time  
Line to prevent any kind of snooping. Looking, or traveling, in that  
Time Stream area anyway, for plus or minus twenty minutes. Total Mission  
Time: 5 minutes 50 seconds, counting overdue escape time of me and  
Phage. While we're doing all this Sasami will hold a shield over the  
complex to prevent any escapees and to present an illusion to everything  
outside the compound that everything is fine with the target area until  
Drake's magic goes off and the Teke finishes the place."  
Blink. Blink. Wait.  
"This isn't yours, mine, possibly not even Phage's type or style of  
plans. Why?"  
"Like you said Ghost. It isn't our type of plan, so it will take  
awhile before they figure out that it was us who did this. And it will  
take a very long time for them to round up any of the people left alive,   
or undead as the case maybe, after this to understand that this was NOT  
a destruction run at the loss of the Target, but a snatch and grab OF  
the Target. Hopefully enough time to return the Target to our employers  
and be long gone before any reprisals occur to retrieve the Target. We  
may be Trouble Shooters, and above this, but I really don't want to get  
personally involved in this little inter-personal mess. I don't think  
you either Ghost."  
"no."  
"I see what your trying to get at Drake," brought up Phage as he  
stared into his crystal clear wine glass, as he gently swirled his  
mulled blood red wine, "And I don't mind all that death and destruction.  
I like it in fact, hehehe, but still... Isn't there a simpler way to go   
in and grab the Target with less 'noise' than this?," putting down his  
glass and staring directly into Drake's eyes.  
"Yes there is. But since The Bosses have told all of us, but you  
since you don't work directly for them, to limit our abilities and power  
levels. AND our employers want us to waylay the objectives of our run to  
the opposition for a while longer. We want to go in with as much 'noise'  
as possible. This is to make the opposition think we're some cheap  
little punk band of adventurers then the professionals we are and that  
we were sent to off the Target and her location to prevent any possible   
information she had given from leaking. At full abilities, I, or Ghost,  
would be able to go in and retrieve the Target and have the Target  
returned for a full week to our employers before the opposition even  
figured out that the Target was gone. And that's being nice to our  
current opposition. Understand better?," looking into the eyes of each  
sitting before him.  
"Hai." "Yeah."  
"Still I would like a little more time on Hyerule IV then just the  
mission. I hear that it's the best pleasure planets for the next eight  
dimensions in either direction." mumbled Ghost as he turned the  
projector off.  
"Just think of the offer by the 'Johnson'. I'm sure she'll ease your  
aching loins." quipped Phage.  
"Ah, shut up." as he telekinetically forced Phage's mouth to do the   
same.

/ Verdi's Requiem - Verdi /

The air burned as the smoke from the recently 'remodeled' room  
billowed out in rolls of black satin and flames leapt out hungrily with  
Hellish red tongues. A figure stepped out of the raging inferno of the  
room unconcerned. The being was attired in black armor, so deep light   
seemed to be soaked up by the armor, and eyes hurt for trying to see the  
void it represented. The arms, legs, and the upper body, was much like  
ancient plate armor, hard but sculpted along the body's shape. The rest  
of the armor was soft so as to allow the body more range of movement,  
except for the torso from where twin plates cover the chest and many  
smaller plates cover the stomach and back. His head was covered in a  
Predatorial Mask, one that recalled images of daemons and deaths untold,  
eyes gleaming black. Black armored hair flowing from his skull and the  
helm to complete his look of Death on the Prowl. On his shoulders, two   
medium-sized lumps rode, almost organic in appearance, covering the twin  
Fusion Cannon that were armed and tracking the figure's combined head  
and unseen eye movement. At the figure's right hip, a large, twin  
barreled gun rode a holster that seemed to flow into and form the hard  
armor of that leg. At his back, a silver pommeled handle to the right,  
sat a small curving sword. At his left hip a black katana, ready to be  
drawn, hangs with no visible connections to his heavily filled equipment  
belt. Upon the back of his forearms, organic-style carapaces ride,  
concealing whatever weapons they may possess. In the hands of the  
menacing figure, a largish snub-nosed pulse rifle, with a second barrel  
under the first, was displayed for all to see that this figure meant   
'Death and Destruction for All' as an occupation, NOT a hobby.  
With the lights flickering and changing randomly from their normal  
'white' hue to the emergency power fire alert red. The fire sirens  
screaming bloody-hell, and the sprinklers doing the 'Dance of the Sugar-  
Plum Fairy', Ghost stopped in the hall and concentrated to let his  
psionic and magical senses out to their max. He filtered out all the  
'noise' of those he did not want to listen to as he pin-pointed the  
exact location of the Target's Room...  
WHAM!  
"owie..."  
Forgot to turn on the shields again, dumb-ass! Ghost thought to  
himself as he ducked back into the room he had just left and quickly  
brought up his shields. While he was retreating he turned on his Time   
Acceleration Field and the Enhanced Imaging in his helmet to keep from  
getting confused because of his own 'Gremlin Program' while also  
eliminating any blurring due to his accelerated field. Taking the time  
to assess his injuries Ghost felt that particular itching in his left  
side that told him his assailant had hit one of the soft portions of the  
armor around his ribs, breaking at least one of them. His accelerated  
healing would take care of the problem in no time flat.  
FUCKERS!! They could have at least given me a warning shot! Ghost  
grimaced behind his mask. Reaching back into the memory of his entrance  
Ghost grins as he 'recalls' the exact place where his assailant had  
ducked while he had been diving for cover.  
Looking in the direction that he had been attacked from, Ghost used  
his helmet to look at the wall before him and block out all heat  
signatures but that of living heat. Lo and behold there was his 'friend'  
along with one more, moving in slow motion as Ghost was moving 10  
seconds for every one of their's due to his acceleration field. Bracing  
himself, by using his flight abilities to 'grab hold of reality', Ghost  
aimed his 5mm Gravatic Pulse Rifle at the wall that his 'friends' were   
'hiding' behind. With an Insane Grin(tm) on his face, Ghost set his  
pulse rifle for full auto. Normally the rifle Ghost was holding only  
fired either single or three round bursts, but at full auto the rifle  
had a cyclic-rate of a little over 1200 rounds per minute, almost thrice  
that of the original pulse rifle it was designed to resemble. Also the  
speed of the projectiles had been increased from nearly sub-sonic to a  
little over Mach 4.5. At single or three round bursts the recoil  
compensators built into the rifle could handle such kinetic 'kick-back',  
with only slight 'knock-back'. But not at full auto. At that point it's   
like holding onto a bucking bronco. Thank Gods for the built-in Magi-  
Tech Sound Suppressors, though the rifle still sounded like a chain-saw  
on speed.  
Adios Fuckers! Ghost intoned to himself as he applied pressure to  
the trigger for a full real-world minute and Ghost feels himself  
slipping a couple of millimeters...  
Fuck! Behind Schedule! Got to get moving! as Ghost noticed the  
chrono-display in his helmet and stepped out of the steadily burning  
room. He noted that the healing 'tingle' had stopped by this point, so  
it must have only been one rib.  
He turned left as re-engaged his TA Field to catch up to the arranged   
time scale, blurring because of his combined speed and field. A few  
resounding crash sounds some eight rooms down the hall as a now ill  
supported ceiling collapses...

Ghost continued his way down the richly decorated sub-basement hall.  
He had long past turned off his shoulder mounts and various other  
weapons save his pulse rifle. Bullets and energy beams fired from the  
hall at either end, trying their best to stop 'Hell's Coming'. All the   
bullets and energy beams missed Ghost as he dodged and weaved his way  
around them. When Ghost allowed the bullets and energy beams to strike  
him, they're stopped millimeters from his skin by unseen fields. Bullets  
impacted air then fell, while energy beams flowed around his form due to  
the shields protecting him. Stopping at a random room, one with a  
finished red wood door, Ghost took his time as he placed his pulse  
rifle's twin barrels against the thick door and then lifted his left  
foot, to brace himself. Pulling rapidly at the second trigger located in  
his gun's trigger guard, Ghost felt and heard the THUMPs as he sent   
several small grenades ripping through the door, as if it was wet rice  
paper. Ghost phased out as the combination ripsaw/plasma grenades ignited  
inside the room and blew the door, along with various odd fragments,  
through him, some of them fleshy. He idly wondered what the  
survivors thought of what they had just witnessed. Ghost smiled behind  
his mask as he continued his precedence of general slaughter as he  
resumed his trek up to basement/1st floor of the building where he would  
rendezvous with Phage...

As the smoke cleared, Ghost stepped out of the fragmented hall, blood  
and gore covering his black armor. His stance, one of a technological  
daemon sent to reap the souls of all who stood in his way. A quirked  
smile arose behind his mask. Looking around on the first floor, Ghost  
admired Phage's handy work. Bodies strewn around like rag dolls, several  
missing limbs, looking like they had been carelessly ripped off.  
Skeletons and Zombies hacking and slashing at their once comrades. Fires  
raging hellish green light. Ghost sniggered as he thought about the  
shear amount of fun Phage must be having. Hearing a wet slapping behind   
him, Ghost slowly turned around. His eyes were welcomed to the sight of  
a red headed man dressed in Black and Gold Victorian garb reminiscent of  
Alucard, Son of Dracula. Bathed in blood, a chewed on human thigh  
hanging from his mouth, and merrily jump skipping toward him with what  
appeared to be someone's ex-small intestines.  
Stopping before Ghost, Phage lazily stops skipping, threw the 'jump  
rope' over his shoulder and took the thigh out of his mouth grinning a  
huge and bloody grin.  
"So Ghost, what's your body count??"  
A great rolling laugh from two voices was heard as part of the compound  
went up in explosion and flame...

As Drake stepped out of the shadows he felt the shaking of the building  
as Ghost and Phage went on their merry ways. His frame was clothed in a  
trench coat style to one as one other silver haired man had done. Though were  
the one wore no shirt, Drake went for a black turtle neck and the symbol of  
the Sacred Chao centered on his belt. Sepheroth would have been pleased with  
the effect.  
#Sasami. Sit Rep#  
#So far, all quiet on the western oops. (smile)#  
#Alright love, see you shortly(grin)# with a smile on his face.  
As his lightly glowing green eyes scanned the dark bedroom, he found the  
Target. A beautiful, heavily tanned young woman with flame red hair sitting  
on the bed, quietly shaking.  
Her face was streaked with tears of fear as the explosions and  
screams of death echoed outside her room. Drake felt himself lighten and  
float as he quietly shifted his form to that of mist. Slowly and  
stealthily moving himself near the obviously frightened young woman. As  
the young lady breathed in some of Drake's mist form, he watched her  
eyelids close over bright jade green eyes, set in a delicate and angelic  
face.  
He then noted a light scattering of freckles across the bridge of her   
nose, while elfin ears peeked out from her hair. Settling himself back  
into his human form, Drake lightly picked her up absently noting the  
black silk slip she was wearing and the small smile on her face as she  
dreamed things not remembered since childhood. Having picked up a  
blanket and gently wrapped her in it, Drake waited for the rest of the  
crew to appear. Within a few seconds Ghost and Phage, with the slightly  
chewed thigh still in his teeth, teleported into the room.  
"That the Target?" Ghost piped hauntingly out of his voice modulator.  
"This is the Target. Take her." Drake sighed handing her to Ghost, as  
he was the least blood and gore covered of the two, "Now you two get.  
I'll lay the Teke-bomb and cast the die with my magic." Lightly sniffing  
the air Drake noticed the smell of several recently deceased individuals  
occupying the room besides himself, Ghost, and Phage.  
"Phage...?"  
"Yes?" Smiling sweetly, taking the thigh out of his bloody mouth.  
"We said you could only have one pet to take back with you, now,  
didn't we??"  
"Yes." Slowly drawing it out. Smack! "bitch!"  
"We said ONE, RIGHT!?!"  
"yes sir. only one." as he released the animating spell over all but   
one of the undead in the room.

Ghost and Phage teleported simultaneously out of the room to the  
agreed coordinates. They saw Sasami sitting on a flat rock, wearing her  
battle outfit. A quiet smile on her face as she flicked her eyes up to  
greet them, relaxing and stretching now that her assigned task was done.  
On her small form a simple sailor fuku, a la Sailor Moon, composed of a   
silver bodysuit and gloves clothed her like a second skin. Metallic blue  
skirt, boots, and bows, back and front, adorned her suit and feet. Nestled  
under her blue locks, on her forehead, was a silver tiara with a deep green  
emerald inset. Holding her trademark twin ponytails, was a pair of ruby  
flowers, one to each tail. And centered in her chest bow was a large emerald.  
Not soon after they had arrived at the rendezvous point, Drake showed up with   
a S.E.G.(tm) on his face. He was back lit with the spectacular vision of a  
mini-nuke going off, lights and distinctive mushroom cloud included.  
Whistling Ghost asked "That the Teke?"  
"Nope! That was my magic. A minor illusion spell really..."  
A low rumble, more felt than heard, resounded in the air. The area  
where the compound was located was lit by a brightly glowing and  
expanding, blue sphere visible over and through the trees. A massive  
shock wave ripped across the forest, pulling trees out by their roots, throwing  
them toward the group, losing force as it approached, till it finally fluttered  
the group's clothes and whipped their hair.  
"THAT was the Teke." grinned Drake through his white hair.  
"oooo!" "ahhhh!"  
Huge S.E.G.s fill the faces of the other two over the power of the  
Teke-Bomb, and the Target shifted in her blanket, settling deeper into  
Ghost's arms.  
"Upped the output, eh?" asked Ghost still grinning.  
"Yeppers!"  
Still chuckling, Drake swept his hand through his hair replacing it  
back to it normal position as it merrily swayed in the non-existent   
breeze. Looking up at his partners and noticing their various poses, he  
reached out his arms to Ghost to take the Target.  
"Here Ghost. Let me take her. Looks like you need to be alone for  
awhile. Phage, I bet you have a few experiments to run, a few demons to  
torture and kill. Ne?"  
"hehehe. Boy do I have some demons to torture. You know it's starting  
to get a little boring. Same thing. Different day. Ah well." Phage   
grumbled as he finished off the last bits of meat off his thigh bone,  
tossing it over his shoulder. Pulling his shirt up over his head, Phage  
held up his hands to his sides and said, "I am the Great Cornholio!", as  
he cackled insanely, "I need Tee Pee for my bunghole!", and disappeared  
in a puff of smoke.  
Ghost and Drake quirked an eyebrow apiece as he left.  
"Same as always, huh?" "Ah yep."  
Sasami giggled as she lifted herself from the stone, brushing off any  
dust on her skirt, and walks up to Drake.  
"He's still too silly" with a playful twinkle in her eyes. Looking at  
the Target nestled in Ghost's arms, she pauses as she takes in her real  
features and compare with the mental image that she made from their  
employer's information.  
"She's cute," she says with a gentle smile, "I wonder what they need  
her for??"  
Shaking his head ruefully, with a grin behind his mask, Ghost hands  
the Target to Drake. Taking a look at the bloody blanket she was wrapped   
in, Ghost motioned to Drake to hold for a second. Phasing out the   
blanket wrapping the Target, Ghost used it to wipe off the blood and  
gore covering his gauntleted hands and forearms. A small frown forms on  
the Target's face, and shivers goes through her body, as she is deprived  
of her warmth and tries to settle deeper into Drake's arms. With a  
snatching motion, a thick black blanket, centered with a silver kanji of  
'karasu', appears in his hands. Again phasing out the blanket, Ghost  
rewraps the Target, a small smile forms as she is again wrapped in  
warmth.  
"Leaving your calling card, eh, Ghost?" Drake chuckled.  
"Why not. I am the Master of them after all. See you later Drake."  
Ghost turns around and slowly fades out as he disappears into the  
forest and Drake, with a smirk on his face, and with Sasami hugging his   
side, disappears in a cloud of smoke smelling of cinnamon. It was known  
he disliked the smell of brimstone.

Beyond the Compound, sometime later...

/ Here Comes the Rain - Eurythmics /

The night darkened and harked the heralds of rain soon to come, Ghost  
stood in a small grove several miles away from compound he and his  
teammates had so successfully destroyed beyond recognition. Ghost stood  
in the center of the grove, his stature of one old and weary, full in  
his armor and his weapons sheathed, his face still covered behind his  
mask, his head bowed. The raindrops fell from the sky light at first,  
but grew heavier and heavier with each passing minute till a gentle   
downpour washes over the standing Ghost, removing all the blood and gore  
covering the black surface from the battle before. Ghost turned his face  
to the raining sky and silently ordered his mask to open. Sliding and  
folding, his mask puzzles itself into a more compact form leaving  
nothing left but a serrated jaw-guard. Ice cold drops of water splash  
across his face as Ghost contemplates his life. Ghost turns his face  
away and walks to a tree near the edge of the clearing. With lightning  
and thunder crashing, Ghost starts to slowly peel out of his armor.  
Weapons first and reverently placed under a great oak tree. The rest of  
his armor slowly taken off, piece by piece, piled near his weapons, till   
nothing he wears but what nature(and his Patrons) had given him. Walking  
back to the center of the grove Ghost returns his gaze to the raining  
night, seemingly unaware, or ignoring, the world around him.

/ Time - Halloween /

A figure slowly and stealthily walks from the shadows of the trees  
slightly behind and to the right of Ghost. Rain not touching her as she  
stops before coming too near Ghost's unmoving figure. Walking over to a   
flat rock, the woman waves her hand and the stone dries for her to sit,  
flash of unseen magic passing. She turns her bright blue eyes at the man  
standing before her as she makes herself comfortable for a long wait,  
sweeping back her white hair. Ghost's profile lays out before her as his  
seemingly seeing, yet unseeing, eyes watch vacantly at the sky. She  
watches Ghost as he makes no move and seems not to breath while the  
drops of rain dampen him more and more. Looking closely at his face she  
watches tear after tear be washed away with the gentle drops of rain   
splashing his face, as he stands there not blinking.  
"Why do you cry Ghost?"  
Ghost turns his tear streaked face to the directions of the voice he  
hears and his eyes are beholden to the sight of the oldest of the Norns;  
Urd the Goddess of the Past...  
"For over five hundred years your have appeared before me and asked  
that same question...  
"For over five hundred years I have given you the same answer...  
"For over five hundred years I have lived, breathed, loved, and died.  
I've seen the Birth and Death of a many an Empire across Worlds and   
Dimensions beyond count. Many have I risen by my hand, and many have I  
fallen the same. I've helped women in the wildernesses birth their  
children. Back I come to kill, as they grew too bold. I've been Tutor to  
Emperors and Empresses in worlds where Technology is King, and I have  
gone back to them... Teacher becoming Student to the Greatest and  
Wisest. Death to those who are the Vilest."  
"Over five hundred years have passed since I, Drake, and Phage  
became Horsemen. Each an Avatar of the Will of the beings only known to  
Mortals as the Cosmic Entities. Each of us with our own Domain to rule,  
I, Patron Horseman to Justice and Revenge, Avatar of Balance.  
"Drake, Who is Patron Horseman to Magic, Avatar to Magick.  
"Phage, Patron Horseman to Death and Destruction Avatar of Omega.  
Most of the Mortal Realms know of our kind as only Trouble Shooters for  
powers unknown to them.  
"Our Names... Deeds... Powers... Shames," bowing his head, "Are known  
only to us and the Gods and Goddesses of worlds beyond imagination.  
"And still you have the audacity to ask why I cry, Urd? I cry for I  
no longer have the luxury of Final Death as so many mortals, gods, and  
demons have. I am, and I will be, Always!" looking at his hands for   
blood, real and imaginary, covering them.  
"For the past five hundred years you, Urd," raising his head staring  
into her eyes, "have been pestering and bugging me at every chance you  
get for no reasons I know of save to see what mischief I may get into. I  
ask you now, Urd... Why do you follow me?!?"  
Urd bows her head as she appraises his words. After her own tears dry   
from her eyes that his words evoke, she raises her head to meet him full  
in the eyes, "I follow because I wish too. No other reason save that  
should I have to give to anyone. Even to one of your race.  
"But those are not the reasons I come before you now!" stabbing her  
finger at Ghost, "I have a request of you. I have a vested interest in  
that woman you just saved. I ask you to watch her and her children, or  
at the very least her children. One of the children has a great future  
before them and must be protected at all costs."  
"So it was you we were being employed by. Not the Saiyajin." quirking  
an eyebrow.  
"Yes, but the Saiyajin is not one of my subjects. I made a  
'suggestion' to her employers to ask for you and your friends." smirked  
Urd.  
Ghost looked into Urd's blue eyes long and hard. While they met eye  
to eye the rain slowly lightened and shortly stopped all together. He  
broke eye contact and moved over to his equipment under the oak tree and  
waved his hand. His armor and his weapons disappeared and a worn olive  
drab military duffel bag appeared. Opening the top Ghost pulled out what   
looked like a pair of heavy black boots and socks, black fatigue pants  
that jingled slightly and normal seeming underclothing, a black pull-  
over turtleneck sweater that too also jingled. A dark black leather  
duster that thumped heavily when he unconcernedly threw it on the  
ground. It was soon followed by a well-used thick black belt full of  
equipment and a low-slung holster. In eerie silence Ghost dressed. The  
pants and the sweater seemingly two sizes too big. The duster reaching  
down to his ankles. The holster seating about mid-thigh, into which he  
placed a large twin barreled gun. Into his left boot he placed a large  
carved bone handled knife, with a single loop for a finger and a richly   
engraved blade, and a smaller one in his right. Gathering his hair into  
a ponytail reaching down to the mid of his back, clasping it with a  
tubular silver Celtic knot work clasp. Telekinetically he tied small  
twin braids behind his ears. Reaching into the pockets of the pants  
Ghost pulls out two Viking knot work ear cuffs and places them on both  
ears and twin simple silver loops into the holes in each of his ears.  
Urd watched all this quietly unconcerned as she had already seen him do  
this many a time over the past five hundred years.  
Ghost finally picks up the duffel bag and slings it over his shoulder  
and reaches into an inner duster pocket and pulls out a pair of circular  
black and silver framed sunglasses slipping them on with much practice.  
Ghost starts to walk away from Urd and then stops, moving his head as   
though thinking about a serious problem. And then turns his head back  
toward the seated Goddess. Urd felt a deep sense of hope that one the  
Horsemen would be gracious enough to help her in this time of her need.  
"No." Ghost intones.  
Urd feels her jaw drop in stunned amazement as he refuses her   
request.  
"I, or my friends, shall not watch her or her children. Find some  
other fools to play guardian angel. Leave me and mine out of yours and  
your sister's destiny weaves." he adds turning his head forward and  
continues to walk forward and away from Urd, "We all have better things  
to do, and our own families to watch over, as we all have been away far  
too long."  
"But... But... But.." Urd stammers as she raises from her rock still  
shocked.  
"No buts, till we meet again, Urd." as Ghost fades away from sight.  
Urd quickly changes her sight to the astral and watches for his form,   
but it was already too late. He had already jumped to a different   
dimension. All aspects of him vanishing, impossible to trace.  
"Damn it! I hate it when he does that!" as Urd stamps her foot in the  
ground and slowly turns away from where Ghost vanished. After a few  
minutes more she slowly turns around a small smile starting to form as  
her eyes light up in anticipation.


End file.
